For the second time, former IRS official Lois Lerner pleads the fifth to the House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee. She is at the center of an investigation in which the IRS held up tax exempt status applications from conservative groups. Without her testimony the investigation might stall. Is this the new strategy for accused federal officials to get a fair shake?

Tom Temin is the host of The Federal Drive, which airs from 6-9 a.m. on 1500 AM in the Washington, DC region and online everywhere. Tom has 30 years experience in journalism, mostly in technology markets. Before coming to Federal News Radio, he was a long-serving editor-in-chief of Government Computer News and Washington Technology magazines.